From the looks of it, Kieran was mere inches away from death.

Nicole, fearing the worst, intervened.

“Stop, Jarrod!"

Her concern was for her reputation, not Kieran's well-being.

Jarrod, enraged, flung Nicole away, and she landed awkwardly on the sofa.

As she neared the foot of the sofa, Nicole instinctively shielded her abdomen, bending forward and curving her back.

The brunt of the impact was absorbed by her spine, sparing her lower body as she landed roughly on the sofa.

There was an audible crack, and pain radiated through her back, leaving Nicole to wonder if she had sustained a fracture.

"Ouch..." Nicole winced, a sharp hiss escaping her lips. Thankfully, her protective instincts had kept her belly safe from harm.

Jarrod's fury deepened upon seeing her protect her stomach.

“Are you this worried your honey might die?"

He then grabbed her throat, pinning her against the sofa. His words were harsh and accusing.

"Are you this reckless and horny? What? None of the men in this fucking country could satisfy your needs? You cheated on me and even carried another man's bastard inside you."

Jarrod's voice was a blend of icy contempt and anger, his presence exuding a palpable coldness.

Overcome by the chilling tension, Nicole felt paralyzed, her body refusing to respond.

She frantically tried to loosen his grip around her throat, gasping for air. With great effort, she managed to speak.

"No... It's not what you think... He burst in and tore my clothes.

She couldn't finish her words. Her face turned a worrying shade of purple-red, her breaths short and labored, the air in the room feeling thin.

Jarrod's greatest aversion was betrayal. Anything marked by his touch, he would never relinquish. However, Nicole had betrayed him again and again.

The thought of Nicole's betrayal ignited a fierce anger within him.